Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Moving into a new and more spacious classroom this year has been good in so many ways. One of the few downsides is that I had to leave the little garden that I had built with my students over the last 3 years. Today, we began a new garden right outside our back windows. For the majority of the time we were working, we were moving bricks and rocks that I'd used to build the old garden. (Since I helped the kids carry those rocks and bricks, I didn't really get any photos.) While we were moving the bricks from the pold garden, we uncovered a little skink. He was fat and happy and had made his home there. He came out for a while and we got a good look at his blue tail, but by the time I got my camera, the children had given him pause and he was more cautious. After we removed our materials, we left him there to continue to live in that rich little patch.

After we got all the bricks and fencing, we laid out where we wanted the garden to be.

The children were eager to get started. I explained that we had to clear the patch before we could start any planting. The ground is very hard and not very rich. We need to turn it a bit and maybe add a little rich soil. (note: I should probably disclose at this point that I am NOT a gardener. I know absolutely nothing about gardening and kill every plant I pass, real, silk, plastic or otherwise.) The first year I made a garden with the kids, we used toy or kids' gardening tools. They broke within the first few days. Eventually, I've collected a few real gardening tools and I very carefully supervise use.

I had to practically drag the kids indoors when it was time for lunch. They really enjoyed working in the garden. I went out for a few minutes this afternoon while they were in aftercare, and they were begging to "do some more work".

We will be clearing this area for the next few days. I'd like to get plants going before we go on Spring Break in a week, so the children will see some seedlings before our school year is over in just a few more weeks. I think this will be a fun way to spend some of our outdoor time, now that the weather is so beautiful.

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Sunday, March 25, 2012

We've just completed our weather unit and we've tried some really neat things! We recorded the weather each day for a week.

We wrote "weather words" in our journals and even illustrated the pictures.

One of my students gave me these wonderful weather wheels for Christmas. We colored the wheels and put them together, then used them in our circle time weather watching activities.

The publishers over at Scholastic's "Clifford The Big Red Dog" preschool classroom magazines sent us a class supply of the weather issue to try out. We used them as a small group activity, reading together and doing the activity on the back. We especially enjoyed the rainbow, as we've been learning about the colors that comprise a rainbow. Thank you, "Clifford The Big Red Dog" magazine, and especially, Janice, for sharing these with us! We really enjoyed them!

We tried some really cool experiments to simulate weather and cloud processes. This experiment allowed use to see how clouds fill and then rain falls.

This experiment helped us "see" condensation and rain.

We made some cloud murals after reading "It Looked Like Spilt Milk".

We found a way to incorporate some movement in with our weather activities. The teacher calls out a weather word, and the students have to "be the weather"!

Here are some of our favorite weather themed books:

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About Me

I have been teaching early childhood for about 20 years. I love what I do---it's the best job in the world!!! Where else can you go to work each day and do art, play games, have snack and get hugs regularly AND get paid for it?! I love to share ideas with other teachers and see what they are doing in their classrooms. Teaching is the best profession---we love to share!